For culinary purposes, truffles can be so versatile because they can be added to almost every delicacy. If you want to try them, the following are several tips on cooking with truffles. * Know the difference between truffle varieties. Even if they re known for their strong flavor and aroma, truffles still vary in those departments depending on the fungal species. This is a sign that the truffles are mature enough to harvest and to eat. Summer truffles are best purchased from June to November. Winter truffles during November to February, White truffles during October to December Oregon truffles from mid-December until the middle of March. Perigord truffles from December until February Burgundy Truffles from October until January. Because these are widely available, Chinese truffles are the ones that are being exported very often to the West areas and are considered an inferior-quality substitute for black truffles. There are also other types of Chinese Truffles including the tuber melanosporum which are usually made into truffle extracts and is sold at a high price; the tuber himalayensis which looks very similar to the tuber melanosporum an is only harvested in the Chinese Himalayas; the tuber sinensis, which are also found in high places and the Chinese summer white truffle. The truffle mushroom is an expensive delicacy, with prices ranging from $250 to $450 per pound. It s mainly because of the consistent high demand for it. What also makes truffle prices soar is the difficulty of finding and harvesting these mushrooms. Typically, truffles are hunted by dogs and pigs that are specially trained so that they can use their sharp sense of smell to find truffles and to dig them. For many centuries, dogs and pigs have been trained to hunt truffle mushrooms. Their distinct ability to sense the strong smell of these mushrooms makes these animals a perfect fit for the hunting job. Where Can They be Found? Elusive as they may seem, truffle mushrooms are not a monopoly of one area. Truffle enthusiasts regard Italian white truffles as the best truffle mushrooms next to the Perigord. However, this truffle variety costs more than its superior counterpart. Its delicately colored meat can be very brittle, as it easily breaks when you drop it on the floor. So chefs need to handle this mushroom carefully.